Origins of Smudge
by Smigle Loco
Summary: You all remember Smudge right? He was Rusty's friend back when he was a kittypet. Smudge didn't and wouldn't have anything to do with forest. But what if Smudge actually has more ties with forest than first thought...
1. Chapter 1

The forest rustled as the winds of leaf-fall blew through my fur. I sat entranced by the swaying trees.

"Morning Genie!" meowed Maggie. She was a long haired tortoiseshell she-cat and my best friend. I know her since kithood. I look down from my fence.

"Morning Maggie, how's things in the other side of the road. A large road cut through the yards separating houses from one another.

"Meatball is coming home!" She giggled. Meatball was this Scottish Folds that had gone to the vet to get fixed. I hopped down from the fence and brushed up against Maggie.

"When's he getting back?" I purred.

"Noon." She smiled. I look up at as a meow came from the yard next to mine. Atop the fence sat Bixby, a dark brown tabby tome with big amber eyes.

"Morning Bixby," I called up, "How's things with your housefolk?" The tom hopped down and purred.

"Great, Sarah is expecting another child!" He beamed. Bixby lived with a lady named Sarah and a man named Jason they already had one child and were expecting another soon.

"That's wonderful,"I smile,"Did you hear that Meatball is coming home!" Bixby smiled in delight.

"Should we go meet him?" He yelled. I nodded but before I could speak Sarah called for Bixby.

"Gotta run!" He meowed as he hopped back over into his own yard.

"Let's go," said Maggie,"Before Dainty shows up." Dainty was an old flea bitten Siamese who was always nagging. We started to creep away but a loud yowl stopped us in our tracks.

"Morning Dainty." said Maggie, a look of disappointment on her face,"what tis the honour. "

"My fur is sticking up." she complained. I smirked, an idea already forming into head.

"Dear dear me," I said,"is that calling?" was Maggie's owner. Maggie smirked, understanding my hint.

"Gotta run!" She cried as we bolted towards the road. Once across we stopped at Meatball's yard. I hopped up to the fence top and yowled down to the yard. As I sat Maggie joined me. When a plump Scottish Folds appeared from his cat flap I leapt down and brushed up against him.

"Meatball!" I squealed,"You're back!" He nodded. Something was wrong, his tail lay low, his step was flat and the mischievous look he always had in his eyes was gone. Maggie noticed this to.

"Meatball," she stuttered,"Are you alright?" The cat just blinked lazily.

"Yah," he mumbled," m'just a bit tired." Before we could question him he'd headed back into his house.

"The vet did something to him," meowed Maggie,"that's not the Meatball I remember!" I nodded.

"I'm due for the vet in about a year," I whisper,"If I end up like Meatball then I don't want to be fixed!"

"Then what are you going to do then?" Maggie questioned. I shook my head, unsure of myself.

"I truly don't know." I replied. At that moment came outside, calling Maggie home.

"Gotta run!" She called, pelting towards her home. I turned, heading home myself. I reached my home and curled up under a hedge. Was I going to wait and be fixed? Where was I going to go?

"Genie, Are you okay?" Meowed a cat behind me. I turn to see Bixby standing behind me.

"No," I reply,"Meatball came back and he's different, I'm due in a year! I don't want to be changed!" I wailed. Bixby sat down and laid his tail over his paws, listening to my venting.

"Well," he replied,"you could always leave." I thought about it.

"But where would I go?" I questioned him. He looked up as a gust of wind blew through the forest rustling the leaves.

"The forest," answered,"it's the only place other than the streets." I was taken aback.

"But...but," I sputtered,"wild cats live there!"

"Well you're tougher than any wild cat," he praised,"I think you could handle yourself." I smiled as I rubbed my white muzzle against his brown one.

"You really think so?" I purred

"I know so!" He boomed. I purred but then I look down at my paws.

"I'll think about it... okay?" I meow. Bixby nodded then left me alone. If I left my housefolk would get another cat.I stood up and walked to the fence. I took a last glance at my home, at my warm comfy bed and full food bowl before hopping over, into the woods


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey Guys sorry this took so long, with Christmas and the bestemor visiting things got hectic. Now for the story there will be many camoes appearing so if there is any mistakes just let me know. **

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The woods chattered with life as many different creatures went about their lives. I carefully placed one paw in front of the other, jumping at the slightest noise. I eventually came to a clearing with a large stump in the middle. I climbed up onto it and lay down. A stream of light shines through the canopy, warming my body as my eyes slowly drifted close.

My eyes snapped open when I heard a crack behind me. I leapt up and spun around.

"Who's there?" I spat,"Show yourself!" My yowls were met by silence. I was just starting to relax when a white blur burst out of the bush behind me and tackled me to the ground.

"Who are you?" Yowled the voice that sounded tom like. I shoved him over and pinned him to the ground. I unsheathed my claws and raked his belly, causing him to yowl in pain. I let him go and her darted back, spitting and hissing at me. This allowed me a better look at him. He was a white Tom with strange black paws.

"Who are you?" He spat,"and what are you doing here?" I stuck my nose in the air.

"Genie," I sniffed,"What's yours?" He hissed but spoke.

"Blackfoot," he growled,"and you haven't said why you're in my territory!" I gave him a confused.

"I really don't think this is your forest." I stated. The Tom laughed.

"Well, it's not just mine, it belongs to Shadowclan!" I stood shocked. The wild cats existed! I composed my self and stared at the Tom.

"This still doesn't explain why you attacked me!"

"You could pose a threat. I must attack any intruders, no matter how pretty." I was taken aback by this compliment. I wasn't ugly but I wasn't gorgeous. I had a black pelt with the only exception being my white muzzle and amber eyes. I was about to thank him when he went ridged. He sniffed the air then turned to me.

"My clan mates are coming," he meowed, a hint of panic in his voice,"if they catch you they'll rip your fur out." With that he nudged me up towards a tree and gestured me to climb up the tree. I obeyed and took my place in a nook between two branches. Blackfoot turned around when a Tom slipped into the clearing.

"Raggedstar!" Blackfoot stuttered,"What are you doing here?"

"It's my territory, I live here," he replied," who were you talking to?"

"No one!" Blackfoot said panicked," just chased off a kittypet poking her nose where it didn't belong."

"Never mind!" Growled the sour Tom, " just because I made you a warrior doesn't mean I can't demote you!" Blackfoot nodded, placing his tail between his legs.

"Good!" Snarled Raggedstar as he stalked off into the brush. After Blackfoot was sure he was gone he beckoned me out of the tree.

"Alright beat it." He snarled but I could see he didn't mean it. I scampered off towards my home but stopped at the edge of the woods. I turned to see a hollow log and crawled inside. It smelled like mild and moss, it was oddly calming. I drifted off to a blissful sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

Hey! Sorry this took so long!

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My dreams were riddled with strange images of a black and white kitten and Blackfoot, of them sitting around me and of us playing together. I awoke with a start, covered in sweat, to a crackling sound outside my den. I unsheathed my claws and wearily stepped outside. Sitting in the clearing was... Blackfoot!

"What are you doing here!" I whispered,"You'll get us both in trouble or worse!" The tom just twitched his whiskers.

"I came to make an offer!" He meowed,"Since it's obvious you aren't leaving anytime soon I'll teach you to hunt in and fight in exchange for you staying off my territory, deal?" It seemed legitimate and what did I have to lose.

"Deal!" I meowed back, flicking my tail nervously. The tom smirked but his eyes glimmered with happiness.

"Good, meet me back at Sunhigh tomorrow." he meowed then backup, disappearing into the brush. I turned around and looked and the faint outlines of houses thoroughly the trees. I said I'd tell Bixby and Maggie when I decided. I walked to Maggie's yard first. She was sunning herself on a dried up birdbath when I hopped into her yard. She opened one eye then snapped the other one open when she saw me.

"Genie!" She squealed, barreling into me,"I so glad you're safe! Bixby told me that you'd gone into the woods..." She stopped and sniffed me.

"You smell of wild cats," she mewed,"Did they attack you?" I shook my head.

"No," I meowed,"actually I came to say that I'm going to stay there." Maggie's eyes went wide with shock.

"You are going to live in the woods!" She squealed," please don't, stay here, it's safer, please!" I just shook my head and gave her a sad look. Her eyes welled with tears as she curled her tail around mine.

"Just stay safe," she whispered. I nodded and walked over to where the fence sat.

"If anything happens to me, you must take care of my housefolk." I said over my shoulder before hopping the fence. I dashed across the road and came to Bixby's yard.

"You're staying in the forest aren't you?" Said a solemn voice behind me. I almost jumped out of my fur. I spun around and came snout to snout with Bixby. I jumped back and felt my ear tips heat up.

"Don't do that!" I hissed, "And yes I am leaving, don't worry, I'll be back soon, I just don't want to be fixed." The look in Bixby's eyes was one I'd never seen before, he look almost depressed.

"Okay," he whispered,"Just be careful." He brushed his nose against mine and hopped over his fence. I stood in shock at this gesture and shook my head. I padded back to the forest, the full moon behind me. I curled up in my hollow and left sleep over one me.


End file.
